


Frigid

by whootsies



Series: Below Aperture [1]
Category: Portal (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, F/F, Fluff, Human GLaDOS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-04
Updated: 2012-05-04
Packaged: 2017-11-04 19:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/397414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whootsies/pseuds/whootsies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I can't figure out why you're not cold," GLaDOS muttered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frigid

GLaDOS pulled one of those ugly brown chairs from the desk and plopped into it. She hated these uncomfortable chairs, but it was better than sitting on the cold linoleum floor; the goosebumps on her arms said she was cold enough already.

She vowed to herself, if she got out of here alive, to shove that moron into a human body and throw him down here; let him suffer in this freezing hellhole. She smiled sadistically at the image of the idiot shivering in one of these spheres, huddled in the corner and desperately trying to warm himself up, stuck on the very first test because he was too stupid to know how to press a button and redirect propulsion gel with portals.

…But she had to admit, some of these tests were pretty difficult. They required good timing, an understanding of momentum, quick thinking, physical fitness, fearlessness… tenacity. Chell had all those things, that's what made her such a good test subject.

GLaDOS had promised Chell that she would release her if she helped her, and that was a complete lie. She couldn't let her go, Chell was the best test subject she had ever seen. Chell was smart enough to know that GLaDOS was lying, right? Of course she was. She was slightly brain-damaged and stubborn, but she wasn't stupid.

…But then, why would she even help her?

She shivered lightly again. It only seemed to be getting colder down here. That moron had probably broken the Aperture Science Climate Regulation System already.

The thud of the heels announced Chell's return. GLaDOS looked up to see her standing there with a bag and two bottles of water in her arms. She kicked a chair out from a desk and sat herself down in it, setting the food on the table next to her portal gun. She twisted the cap off of one of the bottles with a crack of the plastic, and raised it to her lips. Tilting it nearly all the way back, she took in one huge gulp; a drop of water escaped and ran over her bottom lip, down her chin and neck, before rolling down her chest and dissolving into her tank top.

GLaDOS felt something touch her arm, and nearly jumped out of her seat in surprise. Chell was poking her with the second water bottle, and it dawned on GLaDOS that she had been staring at her former test subject. She blinked a few times and took it from her, twisting the cap off and sipping at it lightly.

Chell grabbed the bag and opened it with a loud pop. She pulled out one of the pretzels and popped it into her mouth, before shrugging, taking a handful and passing the bag to GLaDOS.

GLaDOS hadn't realized just how hungry she was until she tried one of these odd little pieces of twisted, baked, and salted bread. She grimaced at the taste; she didn't much care for the bite of salt.

She glanced up to see Chell smiling at her.

"What?" she asked in the flattest voice she could manage with these vocal cords. She hated this human voice, it was much too soft and just didn't command the fear she deserved.

Chell shook her head, but continued watching GLaDOS with a smile.

"I don't know what you think is so funny," GLaDOS passed the bag back to her with a grimace.

Chell took it from her and set it aside. GLaDOS shuddered, running her hands over the goosebumps that were forming on her pale arms again. The smile on Chell's face faded.

"I can't figure out why you're not cold," GLaDOS muttered.

Chell paused for a moment, then held up one finger and nearly ran out of the room. The gush of air chilled her even further, and GLaDOS groaned about her former test subject finally getting revenge.

She returned a moment later with a brown jacket in hand. She held it up briefly, showing it to GLaDOS with a hint of pride, before draping it over the former AI's shoulders. GLaDOS took the lapels of the jacket and tugged it around her tighter, and Chell ran her hands over the cloth a few times, smoothing it out, finally coming to rest on her shoulders. At first it didn't seem to make much of a difference, but after a few seconds GLaDOS felt the chill leave her skin and the goosebumps start to fade.

"…thanks," GLaDOS said under her breath. The smile on Chell's face returned, and she began to move away, but GLaDOS stopped her with a hand on her wrist.

"If – " she stopped herself. "When we get rid of that moron and I get control of the facility again, I'll bake you a cake," she nodded, mostly to herself. "You know, before you leave."

Chell squeezed her shoulder a bit tighter in a promise to hold her to it.

The corners of GLaDOS' mouth twitched into a ghost of a smile. "…A real cake this time, no tricks."

They looked at each other for a moment more, perhaps too long, before Chell pulled (reluctantly, GLaDOS would have said) away and returned herself to her chair, grabbing the bag of pretzels and popping another into her mouth.


End file.
